Pouncing-machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. R. CLARKE.

POUNOING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 26, 1898.

FIGIl.

INVENTORI WITNESSES:

I Attorney.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

' (No Model.)

G. R. CLARKE. POUNOING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 26, 1898.

INVENTOR;

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GEORGE R. CLARKE, OF MONTELL, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY H. TURNER AND ALBERT TURNER, OF DANBURY, CONNECTICUT.

POUNCiNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 602,977, dated April 26, 1898. Application filed February 1, 1896- Renewed October 1, 1897. Serial No. 653,745. (No model.)

To nZZ 1072,0712 it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Montell, Uvalde county, Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pouncing-Machines,of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to a machine for pouncing the crowns of stiff hats-such, for example, as those known as derby hats; and the object of the invention is to produce a simple and effective automatic machine for the purpose which will impart to the pouncin g-pad a circular or elliptical movement while pressed up elastically or yieldingly to the surface of the hat-crown.

Other novel features of the invention reside in the mechanisms for imparting the proper motion to the hat under the pouncingpad and for automatically withdrawing the pad from contact and arresting the motion of the machine when the pouncing operation is completed.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the left-hand side of the machine, the plane of the section being axial, and Fig. 1 is a face view of the block-holdenshowing guides forthe clamping jaws. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine as seen from the right in Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a plan of the machine. These are general views. Figs. 1 and 2 show the parts in the position they occupy at the completion of a pouncing operation when the machine has been stopped by the shifting of the belt, and Fig. 3 shows the parts in the position they occupy at the moment of beginning the pouncing operation. Fig. dis a cross-section of the holder and guide for the pouncing-pad on a scale double that of the principal views. The plane of the section is indicated by line :15 in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line in Fig. 2, showing the means f or lockin g and unlocking the head of the machine. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the belt-shiftin g devices seen at the right in Fig. 53. This view shows the side of the machine opposite to that seen in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section in the plane indicated by line a, in Figs. 1 and 6, showing in plan the devices seen idly about ahorizontal axis.

in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional View of the pouncing-pad on a larger scale, the plane of the section being indicated by line x in Fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a face view of the pouncing-pad seen in Fig. 8.

This machine comprises, in general, an upright hollow frame or pedestal on which is mounted a head which rotates slowly through about a quarter-revolution on a vertical axis during the pouncing operation and is then unlocked and rotated back again. This head carries the hat-block, which rotates more rap- The pouncingpad is carried by an arm through which a circular or elliptical motion is imparted to the pad, the latter being held up to the hat on the block by elastic or yielding pressure.

1 represents the frame or pedestal of the machine as a whole. This pedestal may be of cast-iron, and it comprises a hollow base and a hollow column rising therefrom. On the top of this column rests the hollow head 2, which may also be of cast-iron. This head has a bearing in the top of the column, a tubular journal 2 of considerable length, on the head extending down into the top of the column.

In the base of the pedestal 1 is rotatively mounted the driving-shaft 3, on which are fixed a tight pulley 4: and a loose pulley 4?. Through the pulley 4 the shaft 3 is driven by a suitable belt X.

On the shaft 3 is fixed a bevel-pinion 5, which gears with a bevel-wheel 6 on an upright shaft 7 in the column. Through these gears the shaft 7 is driven. On the upper end of the shaft 7, in the hollow of the head 2, is fixed a toothed wheel 8, which drives an upright shaft 9 in the head through the me dium of a toothed wheel 10 on the lower end of the latter. On the upper end of the shaft 9 is a bevel-pinion 10 which gears with a bevel-wheel or toothed ring 10, fixed to the block-carrier 11. Through this gearing the upright shaft 7, which is concentric with the bearing of the head 2 in the column, drives the block-carrier and the block 12 thereon. This carrier is rotatively mounted on a horizontal axis in the elevated part of the head 2. The block-carrier is provided with a chuck to secure the block in place thereon; but this device will be hereinafter described. good chuck will serve. The block rotates in the direction of the arrows thereon.

In the column of the pedestal is rotatively mounted an upright hollow shaft 13, which incloses the shaft 7 and is concentric therewith. At its upper end this hollow shaft carries a locking-disk 14E, placed just beneath the gear-wheel 8. By means of this disk the operator can at will lock the shaft 13 to the head 2, so that the shaft 13 will turn the head and unlock it again, so that the head may be turned back again to the starting-point without turning the shaft 13 back. This mechanism is best seen in Fig. 5. In the disk 14 are teeth, like gear-teeth, and on a handle 15,

fixed to the head 2, for turning said head back after each pouncing operation, is mounted a spring-dog 16, adapted to be pressed into looking engagement with the teeth in the disk 14 by its spring. This dog is furnished with a thumb-lever 17, whereby the operator grasping the handle 15 may at the same time press the thumb-lever and withdraw the dog 16 from engagement with the disk 14:.

At its lower end, in the hollow base of the pedestal 1, the hollow shaft 13 has fixed on it a toothed wheel 18, with which gears a planetpinion 19, rotatively mounted on an upright stud in the bevel-wheel 6. Just above the wheel 18 is another toothed wheel 20, fixed to the pedestal and also in gear with the pinion 19. The wheel 20 has one tooth more than the Wheel 18. One wheel may have, for example, eighty teeth and the other eightyone teeth. As the bevel-wheel 6 rotates the pinion 19 rolls around the fixed wheel 20, and thus advances the wheel 18 one tooth at each revolution of the wheel 6. Thus a very slow motion is imparted to the shaft 13 relatively to the shaft 7.

I will now describe the pouncing devices.

A counter-shaft 21 is mounted in bearings on the pedestal and is driven from the main shaft 3 through gear-wheels 22. Thus the counter-shaft 21 is rotated rapidly. On the end of this shaft is a crankdisk 21 in which is a crank-pin 21. On this pin is rotatively mounted a block 21 and to this block is pivotally coupled a yoke 23 on the lower end of an arm 23, which carries the pouncing-pad, (indicated as a whole by A in Fig. 1.) In order to impart to said pad motion in an elliptical or circular path through the arm 23, means are employed which will now be described, with especial reference to Figs. 1, 2,

- and 4. A swing-frame 24 is hinged at its lower end to a bracket 25 on the column of the pedestal and embraces thearm 23. This frame has two side plates or branches, and between the upper ends of said branches is pivoted at its ends, on pivots 26, Fig. 4, a rocker 27. On the face of this rocker next to the machine is mounted a guide-block 28 for the arm 23. This guide-block is secured to a journal 27 which has a bearing in the rocker 27, such bearing being at right angles ing-pad A.

to the pivotal axis of said rocker. In the face of the guide-block is a dovetail groove to receive a wearing-plate 23, fixed to the arm 23. The upper end of the frame 24 is coupled by a rod or link 29 to an arm 30, Figs. 1 and 3, fixed adjustably on the upper extremity of a rock-shaft 3l,which has bearings in a conical bracket-casing 32 on the column of the pedestal 1. lVithin the bracketcasing 32 is a conical spiral spring 33, one extremity of which is fixed to the bracketcasing and the other or upper endto the shaft 31. This spring by its torsional resiliency tends to draw the pouncing-pad up to the hat on the block. The conical form of the spring is quite important, as it serves to steady the spring and equalizeits action. A spiral spring of uniform diameter becomes distorted under the strain.

To regulate the tension of the spring 33, the arm 30 is mounted to swing radially on the shaft 31 and is provided with a pawl or dog 3O in Fig. 3, which engages teeth on a fragmentary ratchet-disk 30, fixed on said shaft 31. This is merely one form of tension-regulating device. Other known forms may be substituted therefor.

The arm 23 will be made of hard wood, by preference, as it should be light, strong, and stiif. On its upper end it carries the pounc- (Bestillustrated in Figs. 1, 8, and 9.) On the upper extremity of the arm 23 is secured a metal hook 314 to support the upper end of the pad, and on the said arm, below this upper hook, is mounted in an adjustable manner a hook 35 to support the lower end of the pad. The pad comprises two like end plates 36 and a flexible strip 37, composed, by preference, of a backing of leather faced with soft vulcanized rubber. This strip is secured at its ends to the plates 36, and these are adapted to be engaged loosely with the respective hooks 34 and 35, so that the pad may turn or rock about its longitudinal axis to permit it to adapt itself the better to the surface of the hat in passing about the curve which joins the side to the top of the crown thereof.

A strip of sandpaper suitable for pouncing is applied to the face of the pad and preferably in the manner following: In each end piece or plate 36 is a transverse slot, Figs. 8 and 9, and in the end plate occupying said slot is a clamping cam-roller 38, having a thumb-piece 38 at its end for operating it and a flattened face 38, Fig. 8. The strip of sandpaper 39 is mounted on a reel or spool 40 on the lower hook 35 and its end is carried through the slot in the upper end plate, down over the face of the strip 37 and back through the slot in the lower end plate, as seen in Fig. l. The slots are opened to allow the strip of sandpaper to pass by bringing the flattened faces on the clamping-rollers around to the clamping -margins of the respective slots. When the paper is in place, the rollers 38 are turned to the position seen in Fig. 8, so as to cause the roller to clamp the paper fast. The paper may be readily shifted when the part i which overlies the strip 37 becomes worn out.

As before stated, the parts occupy the position seen in Fig. 1 when the pounoing operation is completed, the pounced hat H being still on the block 12. During the last portion of the slowly-rotating movement of the head a pusher 41, mounted on the head 2, (preferably in an adjustable manner,) presses against a swinging lever 42 on the column of the pedestal and causes the free end of this lever to impinge on the frame 24 and swing it back to the position seen in Fig. 1, thus moving the pouncing-pad away from and out of contact with the hat on the block. At the same time another stud or pendent projection 43 on the head 2 (see Figs. 5, 6, and 7) trips a toggle and allows a spring-actuated belt-shifter 44 toshift the belt X to the loose pulley 4 thereby stopping the machine. This device may now be described.

The shifter 44 is in the nature of a forked arm fixed on a rock-shaft 45, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) mounted in suitable hearings on the ma chine-frame. Attached to an arm 47 on this shaft is a strong spring 46, which tends to rock the shaft 45, so as to cause the shifter to shift the belt to the loose pulley. The arm 47 is coupled by a link 48 to the shorter arm of an elbow-lever 49, fulcrumed on the column of the pedestal 1. The longer upright arm of this lever projects up nearly to the base of the head 2 and is in the path of a setting stud or projection on the latter, Fig. 6, which when the head is set to the starting position (seen in Fig. 3) swings the lever 49 over and by means of the link 48 and arm 47 shifts the belt X to the tight pulley 4. The lever 40 is held in the position set by a toggle device comprising an elbow-link 51, Figs. 6 and 7, fulcrumed on'a bracket 51 on the column of pedestal 1, and another link 52, connecting the link 51 to the lever 49. WVhile this toggle is straight, its knuckle is slightly depressed and supported on a pin on the bracket and the lever 49 is held against movement; but when the pouncing operation is nearly completed the pendent stud 43, before mentioned, breaks the knuckle of the toggle upward through the medium of a horizontallymounted lever 53, fulcrumed on the upper face of the supporting-bracket 51 and clearly shown in Fig. 7. The stud 43 impinges 0bliquely on an elevated part of the lever 53, and in wiping by said part causes the end of the lever to strike the now upright arm of the elbow-link 51, so as to rock the same and break the toggle. When this is done, the spring 46 instantly shifts the belt X to the loose pulley. I

, The operation of the machine is as follows: Starting from the position of the. parts seen in Fig. 1, the operator detaches the block 12 from the block carrier 11, removes the pounced hat therefrom, places a hat to be pounced on the block, and again secures the block on the carrier. He now grasps the handle 15 with his right hand, and holding back the pouncing-pad with the other hand presses his thumb on the lever 17, and thus withdraws the dog 16 from engagement with the teeth on the disk 14. He then turns the head 2 around to the position seen in Fig. 3, lets the pouncing-pad onto the crown of the hat close to the brim, which is the point of starting, and then permits the dog 16 to again engage the teeth of the disk 14. In the operation of turning back the head the belt X will be shifted to the tight pulley 4 through the means already describedthat is, the engagement of the setting-stud 50 with the upper end of the lever 49-and the machine is thus set in motion, the head 2 turns slowly around in the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. 3, the block and hat revolve much more rapidly in the direction of the arrow thereon in Fig. 3, and the pouncing-pad moves rapidly in a closed curved path over the surface of the hat. This path in the present construction is of oval form; but its form may vary according to the proportions of the parts, as will be understood by any one skilled in the art. The extent of movement or length of travel of the pad may be varied by shifting the crank-pin 21,which operates the arm 23, in the slot in the face of the crank-disk 21 which carries the pin. This adjustment of the crank-pin is a common device and will need no explanation. It will be noted that the pad does not rotate on its axis, but moves bodily in a closed curved path or orbit. The head 2 makes a little less than a quarter of a rotation, and when the center of the hat-crown comes under the pouncing-pad the pusher 41 strikes the lever 42 and swings the pad away from the hat a moment before the stud 45 trips the toggle and permits the spring 46 to shift the belt onto the loose pulley. This brings the parts of the machine back again to the position seen in Fig. 1.

If desired, the hat may be subjected to a second pouncing operation before it is removed from the block.

The device for clamping the hat-block 12 to the block-holder 11, as shown in Figs. 1 and 1, will now be described. In the elevated part 2 of the head 2 is a large bearing in which the hollow journal 11 of the holder is rotatively mounted. The ring-gear 10 is secured to the circular face-plate of the holder, and the latter has or may have a thin metal flange 11 to form a guide and support for the hat-rim. A crank 54 has a boss 54 which screws into the open outer end of the hollow journal 11 of the holder, and this boss also screws, in the manner of a nut, on a screw-threaded spindle 55in the axis of the journal 11 This spindle extends through the face-plate of the holder, which is provided (see Fig. 1 with a guide-plate 11 in which the spindle 55 is splined, so that it may not rotate except with the holder 11. The guide-plate 11 has also apertures in which are guided three jaws 11,

IIO

the inner ends of which are loosely coupled to a flange 56 on the spindle 55. The block 1.2 has a central bore to fit over the projecting end of the spindle, and this bore is formed in a nipple 0n the block, which is grasped by the jaws 11. By turning the crank 54 in the proper direction the spindle is drawn outward, carrying with it the jaws 11, and the inclines on the backs of these jaws cause them to clamp on the nipple of the block and hold it firmly up to the face-plate of the holder. The exterior screw-thread on the boss of the crank is left-handed and the interior thread right-handed. Consequently the clamping effect is produced with a very moderate movement of the crank. I

It will be noted that the particular characteristics of this machine are as follows: The hat is rotated under the pad about the axis of its crown and simultaneously and more slowly about an axis at right angles to the axis of its crown. Thus the pad traverses a spiral path about the crown. As the crown is not a true hemisphere in form, being elliptical in cross-section at'right angles to its axis and substantially elliptical at the top in a cross-section taken along its axis, it follows that the pad must yield as the hat revolves under it. As the surfaces over which the pad passes are all convex the flexible character of the strip forming the pad enables the latter to adapt itself to these surfaces. The pad itself moves in a closed or endless curved path, and this may be elliptical, ovoid, or circular. In the construction shown the crank-pin 21 carries the lower end of the arm 23 about a circular path, and as this arm has a sliding fulcrum about the journal 27 it follows that the pad carried on the upper end of the arm 23 will when the crank-disk 21 rotates traverse a closed curved path the form and lateral dimensions of which will be governed by the position the journal 27 X occupies between the crank-disk 21 and the pad. As the pad always receives an up-and-down movement equal to the throw of the crank-pin 21 and the lateral movement of the pad will be varied according to the position of the fulcrum-point along the arm 23, it follows that if the said point is nearer to the pad than to the crankdisk the path followed by the pad will produce an ovoid figure. Preferably this figure will be so small as to be included within the width of the pad.

By crown is here meant the entire body of the hat above the brim. WVhere the hat is quite flat on top and the curve where this top joins the side of the crown is quite sharp or abrupt, the attendant may ease the pouncingpad over such curve if this be considered necessary.

, Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. In a hat-pouncing machine, the combination with mechanism for holding and rotating the hat about the axis of its crown and mechanism for simultaneously turning the hat about an axis substantially at right angles to the axis of its crown, of a pouncingpad, automatic means for keeping said pad pressed up to the hat with a yielding pressure, and mechanism for imparting motion to said pad in a closed, curved path, substantially as set forth.

2. In a hat-pouncing machine, the combination with mechanism for holding and rotating the hat under the pouncing-pad, of the said pad, comprising a yielding strip of flexible material and a holder for said strip, automatically-operating mechanism for holding said pad up to the hat with a yielding pressure, and mechanism for imparting motion to said pad in a closed, curved path, substantially as set forth.

3. In a hat-pouncing machine, the combination with mechanism for holding the hat and rotating it under the pouncing-pad, of the rotating crankshaft 21, provided with a crank, the arm 23, pivotally connected to the pin of the crank, the pouncing-pad mounted on the free end of said arm, the hinged frame 24:, the rocker 27, pivoted to said frame, the grooved guide-block 28, pivoted to said rocker, in which block the arm 23 is guided, and automatic means, substantially as described,for holding the pouncing-pad up to the hat with a yielding pressure, substantially as set forth.

4:. In a hat-pouncing machine, the combination with mechanism for holding the hat and rotating it under the pouncing-pad, the said pad, the arm carrying the pad, and mechanism substantially as described for imparting motion to the pad, of the conical spring 33, the rotatively-mounted shaft 31, in said spring and connected with one end thereof, the arm 30, carried by said shaft, and the link coupling said arm to the support for the pouncing-pad, substantially as set forth.

5. In a hat-pouncing machine, the combination with the pedestal, the head 2, rotatively mounted on the same, the block-carrier mounted rotatively, mechanism for rotating said hat-holder and head, the swinging frame carrying the pouncing-pad, the said pad, and means for pressing the pad up in a yielding manner to the hat, of a pusher carried by the head, and a lever between the pad-carrying frame and said pusher, whereby, at the termination of the pouncing operation the pouncing-pad is pushed out of contact with the hat, substantially as set forth.

6. In a hat-pouncing machine, the combination with the pedestal, the head 2, mounted rotatively on the same, the block carrier mounted rotatively in the said head, the main driving-shaft, driving mechanism intermediate said shaft, the rotating head 2, and the block-carrier, a shifter for starting and stopping the machine, and its spring, of the elbowlever 49, the link coupling the shorter arm of said lever to the shifter, the setting-stud 50 on the head and adapted to actuate said lever 49 and operate the shifter when the head is turned back, the elbow-link 51, the link 52,

connecting one arm of the link 51 with the lever 49, said links 51 and 52 forming a toggle to hold the lever 49 against movement, the tripping-lever 53, adapted to break the toggle when the pouncing operation is completed, and the pendent stud 43, on the head 2, adapted to operate said tripping-lever,substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the arm carrying the pouncing-pad, of the upper hook 34, on said arm, the lower hook 35, mounted adj ustably on said arm, the pouncing-pad coupled at its ends to said hooks, the reel 40, the strip of sandpaper on said reel, and means for clamping the strip of sandpaper on the pad, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with the arm carrying the pounoing-pad, provided with hooks to hold said pad, and the reel for the strip of sandpaper, of the end plates 36, each having in it a slot for the passage of the strip of paper and provided with fiat-faced clamping-rollers for said strip, and the flexible strip 37,secured at its ends to said end plates, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with the pad-carrying arm, of a flexible pad coupled at its ends to supports on said arm and under longitudinal tension, said pad being looselycoupled to said arms whereby it is adapted to turn or rock about its longitudinal axis, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEO. R. CLARKE.

Witnesses:

PETER A. Boss, HENRY CONNETT. 

